The global 3D printing materials market has been witnessing a substantial rise over the past few years. The rapid rise in the demand for 3D printing, propelled by the shifting interest of consumers toward products with attractive packaging, has boosted the 3D printing materials market significantly in the recent times.

A research report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) states that in 2013, the worldwide market for 3D printing materials stood at US$450 mn. Experts project this market to rise at a CAGR of 18.0% during the period from 2014 to 2020 and attain a value of US$1.4 bn by the end of 2020.

Asia Pacific 3D Printing Materials Market to Exhibit Fastest Growth in Coming Years
In 2013, North America emerged as the largest regional market for 3D printing materials across the world with a share of more than 37% in the overall demand reported for these materials. However, in the coming years, Asia Pacific is likely to experience the fastest growth among all the regional markets for 3D printing materials on account of the rising uptake of 3D printing technology in various Asian economies such as China and Japan.

In terms of volume, Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific are expected to exhibit significant growth over the next few years. However, the market in the Rest of the World is anticipated to experience sluggish growth in the nearing future, owing to the limited scope of 3D printing technology in this region.

Plastics Enjoy Highest Demand in Global 3D Printing Materials Market

Metals, ceramics, plastics, lay wood and wax are the main materials used for 3D printing in the global arena. In 2013, the demand for plastics was the highest among these materials. The segment occupied a share of 48% in the overall demand reported for 3D printing materials that year.

The increasing demand for plastics for the 3D printing of electronics and other products is likely to maintain this trend in the near future. The flexibility and the durability, plastics provide, are the key factors behind its soaring demand in 3D printing.

The industrial, aerospace, education, architecture, automotive, electronics and consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and military sectors are the prime application areas for 3D printing materials market. Here is a snapshot of the demand scenario for 3D printing materials in various segments.

The electronics and consumer goods segment exhibited the highest demand for 3D printing materials in 2013 with a share of 23% while the automotive segment occupied the second position.

During the period from 2014 to 2020, the demand for 3D printing materials in the electronics and consumer goods segment is likely to rise at a CAGR of 17.0%.

Other application segments are also projected to report a significant demand for 3D printing materials over the next few years.